Should Your Purse Match Your Shoes?

It’s that age-old question that has been rehashed many times over: Should your shoes match your purse? Will the gods of fashion smite you if you so much as set foot out the door if you’re carrying a red purse and wearing beige shoes?

There was a time when the rules of fashion were very rigid. At the turn of the 20th century, a woman could be chastised for merely walking about her lawn without wearing a hat! But the rules have relaxed, thankfully, and that includes the rule of matching purses and shoes.

Here’s the deal: If you’re fashion-conscious, you should wear shoes and a carry a purse that coordinate or complement each other. They don’t have to match. Unless you really botch it up and wear a loud neon-green polka dot purse with burgundy striped shoes, nobody is going to notice.

The only time you may want to observe this rule is for a wedding or some other formal event, such as a prom. Bridesmaids are generally expected to carry purses that match their shoes, but then again, they’re not carrying their purses down the aisle, are they?

By the way, if you prefer to follow this old-fashioned rule to be on the safe side, please don’t wear a matching belt as well. Two out of three is fine, but three out of three and you look like you’re trying too hard.

So the next time someone spouts some nonsense about how your purse absolutely must match your shoes, you can smile and nod and go on your merry way. Or tell them to get with the 21st century already.